Cigarette ejector



1,963,971 MccooN June 26, 1934.

P. L. COON, NOW BY JUDICIAL CHANGE OF NAME P. L.

CIGARETTE EJECTOR Filed Aug. 12. 1951 package and prevent 935 the leg on which Patented June 26, 1934 CIGARETTE EJECTOR Paul L. Coon, Washington, D. 0., now by judicial change of name Paul Lesher McOoon Application August 12, 1931, Serial No. 556,661

14 Claims. (01. 206-41) This invention relates to cigarette ejectors.

It is an object of this invention to provide a cigarette ejector which may be applied to or inserted in a package of cigarettes and will eject 5 cigarettes from the package as they are desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cigarette ejector which will provide a tight closure for the package of cigarettes to which it is attached.

Another object of my invention is to provide a cigarette ejector which will automatically eject the cigarettes in series as they are desired.

Another object of my invention is to provide a cigarette ejector which is cheaply manufactured and simplein construction.

Another object of my invention is to provide a cigarette ejector, which will provide a stiffening support for an ordinary cigarette package which will tend to preserve the original shape of the the cigarettes contained therein from becoming mashed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ejector which the user mayoperate by the same hand which holds the package.

The above and further objects of my invention will become apparent from the following specification.

.In'the annexed drawing:

Figure 1 isv a side view of the ejector, showing 30 the ejector mechanism depressed and the feeding mechanism extended;

Figure 2 is an end view showing the leg containing the ejecting mechanismj Figure 3, is a view of the other end'showing the feeding mechanism is mounted;

Figure 4 is a side view showing the ejector inserted in a package of cigarettes, the latter being illustrated in section;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the top portion, showing the ejector inserted within a package of cigarettes;

Figure 6 is a section of the leg containing the ejector mechanism taken on the line 6-6 of Fig- '45 ure 2; and

Figures '7, 8 and 9 are sectional views of various modifications of the lower end of the ejector element.

With reference to details of the drawing, 1 is 1.50 the main frame of the ejector having a top portion 2, with depending side portions 3 adapted to lie close to the wrapper of a package of cigarettes on the outside thereof. Depending from the ends of the top portion 2 adapted for insertion between 5 the package wall 4 and the cigarettes 5 are legs '6 ejector member 9 of a length sufiicient to reach to the bottom of the package and of a width slightly less than the width of the top and therefore less than the width of the cigarette package. 1'

The top portion 2 is provided with an opening therein, having a cover '7 hinged to the top portion and provided with an easily operated snap catch of any'convenient form such as 8 for retaining the cover in its closed position.

The ejector element 9 is formed of a flat piece of sheet metal adapted to lie substantially in the same plane as the leg member 6. i The ejector member 9 is provided with tab portions 10 adapted 'to engage the sides of slot 11 formed in the member 6. Thus it will be seen that the slot 11 forms a trackway in which the ejector element 9 is slidably mounted. A tension spring 12 preferably flattened to lie as muchas possible in the plane of the leg member 6 connects the ejector element with the upper end of the leg9 and tends to keep the ejector element in the raised position.

Extending from the side of the ejector element 9 in substantially the plane of the side of the package is a flange 13 -to which is pivotally connected a link member 14. The other end of the link member 14 is 'pivotally connected to a depending tab 15 on one side of the cover member '7. Thus the tension spring tends to keep the ejector element 9 in the raised position and the cover '7 in the open position, as shown in 35 Figurel.

The lower end of the ejector element 9 is provided with an inwardly extending flange 16 adapted to engage the lower ends of the cigarettes to be ejected. This portion of the ejector element may take several forms. In Figure 7, the ejector element 9 is provided with a protruding portion 16 struck up out of the plane of the metal and adapted to engage frictionally the side of the cigarette to be ejected. In Figure 8, the

is provided with a rolled over portion 16 adapted to engage the lower ends of the cigarettes to be ejected. In the modification shown in Figure 9, the lower end of the ejector member 9 is provided with a horizontal head 16 for engaging the lower ends of the cigarettes.

Mounted on the leg 6 is the feeding mechanism consisting of a pusher plate 1'7 which is hinged at 18toa follower member 19 which is in turn hinged to the leg 6* at '20. The hinges at 18 and 20 are provided with coil springs 21 and 22 around the hinge pins which tend to force the pusher plate 17 away from the leg 6 as shown in Figure 1. g

The members of the feeding mechanism are formed of flat metal strips and are of such construction that when in their collapsed position they will be closely adjacent the plane of the leg 6 In the operation of ejector the top of a standard size package of cigarettes is removed, the feeding mechanism is collapsed and the legs 6 and 6 are inserted between the cigarettes and the wrapper at the ends of the package. During the insertion the cover 7 is preferably closed, thus holding the ejector mechanism in the downward position. As the legs 6 and 6" are inserted the depending portions 3 of the top 2, being spaced apart at a distance slightly greater than the width of the package will naturally slip over the outside of the wrapper 4. The top 2 will now lie adjacent to the upper ends of the cigarettes and the flange on the lower end .of the ejector element will engage the lower ends of the first cigarettes to be ejected. The device is now ready for use.

When a cigarette is desired, the catch 8 is manually released and the ejector element 9 is drawn upwardly by the spring 10, carrying with it the cigarettes which are engaged by the flange 16 on the lower end of the ejector element 9. Due to the link 14 connecting the ejector element 9 with the cover '7, the cover is simultaneously opened. The cigarette is now readily accessible,

as shown in Figure 4, and is removed, the cover is then closed by pressing on its upper surface, returning the ejector element to its original position. As long as cigarettes remain in the package, the feeding mechanism will keep them adjacent the ejector element ready for ejection.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the top and sides represented by the portions 2, 6 and 6 are adapted to be parts of a complete box and the invention is not necessarily limited to a device adapted to be attached or inserted to a cigarette package. The combination shown in Figure 4 wherein the bottom and side walls are fitted to the side Walls 6 and 6 illustrates how one such complete box arrangement may be formed, thus consisting of top and bottom and four side walls. The material of the side wallsin such an arrangement may be of paper, wood or metal, as desired. The mechanism within the device illustrated is thus not dependent on Whether or not it is used with a separately formed container or whether it is built intothe container.

What I claim is: r

1. An article of the class described, comprising legs adapted to be inserted in a cigarette package, a top for covering the top of said package, and means associated with one of said legs for ejecting cigarettes through an opening in said top.

2. An article of the class described, comprising legs adapted to be inserted in a cigarette package, a top portion for covering the top of said package, an opening in said top portion provided with a cover hinged to said top, and means associated with one of said legs for ejecting cigarettes through said opening in said top.

3. An article of the class described comprising a top portion, legs depending from said top portion adapted to be inserted in a package of cigarettes, an opening in said top portion, said opening being provided with a cover, means carried by one of said legs for moving cigarettes beneath said opening in said cover.

4. An article of the class described comprising a top portion, legs depending from said top portion adapted to be inserted in a package of cigarettes, an opening in said top portion, said opening being provided with a cover, automatic means mounted upon one of said legs for feeding cigarettes beneath said opening and means for ejecting cigarettes through said opening.

5. In a device of the character described for dispensing objects from within a package, comprising side walls adapted for insertion into said package, a top portion extending between the side walls, and means associated with one of said side walls for ejecting objects through an opening in said top.

6. In a device of the character described for dispensing objects from within a package, comprising a top portion and sides extending substantially parallel to each other therefrom and adapted for insertion into said package, an opening in said top portion, a cover for said opening, automatic means for feeding objects within said article to position beneath said opening, and means carried by said sides for ejecting objects through said-opening.

7. In an'article of the class described, a top portion and extending side walls projecting from said top portion, means between said side Walls for urging the contents from one sidetoward the opposite side into a position for discharge, said means comprising a lever member,.one end .105 of which is pivotally secured to one side wall, and the opposite end of which is free, anda second lever pivotally secured to the free end of said first lever and having its opposite end unattached, spring means normally urgingv the free 1110 end of said first lever from the side wall to which it is attached, and second spring means normally urging the unattached end of said second lever from said first lever and toward the opposite side of said article. I i

8. An article of the class described comprising a frame adapted for insertion into a package, said. frame comprising a top portion and a. pair of legs, reciprocable ejector mechanism carried by one of said legs adapted for ejecting articles from I120 within said package. v

9. An article of the class described comprising a frame having a pair of legs adapted forinsertion in the package, spring operatedjejector mechanism carried by one of said legs for eject- 1'25 ing articles from within said package and spring operated feeding mechanism associated with the other of said legs for feeding articles to said'ejector mechanism.

10. An article of the class described comprising 2130 a pair of legs adapted for insertion into a package, a top portion connecting said legs,fsaid top portion having a hinged cover, ejectormechanism mounted within oneof said legs for ejecting articles from said package, said ejector mechanism operatively associated with said hinged cover. 11. An article of the class described comprising a top portion and a pair of dependinglegs adapted for insertion into a package, a recipro- T cable spring operated ejector mechanism for ejecting articles from within said package mounted within one of said legs and a laterally movable spring operated feeding mechanismfor feeding articles to said ejector mechanism car- 14,5 ried by the other of said legs. v

12. An article of-the class described comprising a top portion having an opening therein, a hinged cover for said opening,a pair of legs depending from said top portion adapted for infeed articles from within said package to said ejector mechanism.

14. An article of the class described comprising a top portion having an opening therein, a hinged cover for said opening, and a pair of legs adapted for insertion into a package, ejector mechanism carried by one of said legs for ejecting articles from within said package through the opening in said top portion, and feeder mechanism carried by the other of said legs independent of said ejector mechanism for feeding articles from within said package to said ejector mechanism.

PAUL L. COON. 

